1 Chronicles 8:9 (KJV)

What does 1 Chronicles 8:9 mean?

1 Chronicles 8:9 lists some of the sons born to a man named Shaharaim by his wife Hodesh: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, and Malcham. This verse is part of a genealogy, recording family lines and descendants.

The verse is found in a section where the writer is carefully tracing the descendants of Benjamin, one of the tribes of Israel. The mention of Hodesh as Shaharaim’s wife and the naming of her sons helps clarify family relationships and lineage, which was important for tribal identity and inheritance in ancient Israel.

The Hebrew behind 1 Chronicles 8:9

• "begat" (יָלַד, yalad): This Hebrew word means "to father" or "to bring forth children." Its use here emphasizes Shaharaim’s role as the ancestor of these named sons.
• "Hodesh" (חֹדֶשׁ, ḥodesh): This is a personal name, but in Hebrew it also means "new moon" or "month." Here, it is used as the name of Shaharaim’s wife, not in its usual sense of time.
• The names "Jobab" (יוֹבָב, Yovav), "Zibia" (צִבְיָא, Tsivya), "Mesha" (מֵישַׁע, Mesha), and "Malcham" (מַלְכָּם, Malkam) are all personal names. Each name would have had meaning to the original readers, but in this context, they simply identify Shaharaim’s sons.

Why 1 Chronicles 8:9 matters

• This verse helps clarify the family structure of the tribe of Benjamin, which is important for understanding later stories and genealogies in the Bible.
• By naming Hodesh and her sons, the text shows the importance of both maternal and paternal lines in Israelite genealogies.
• The careful recording of names and relationships in this chapter highlights the value placed on heritage and identity in ancient Israel.